Hi everyone and please click on the title of this post to read more.
Well, I have big news (no, I am not pregnant): Our Thursday night baked, breaded chicken tenders night is over. If you long time readers recall, I instituted breaded chicken night when I decided I had had it with fake chicken nuggets for my kids. It was a decision made with vehemence , almost a political statement. I felt I did not want my kids being addicted to chicken nuggets (which originally got the name “nuggets”, by the way, from McDonalds).
So anyway, my kids really aren’t crazy about the baked,breaded, chicken nugget facsimiles, but because I said I would serve them this Thursday night chicken dish, I stuck to it and they suffer through it every week. I realized, very much by accident, this week, that 3 out of my 4 kids ate chicken with my terriyaki sauce! I was thrilled but then felt deflated when I found that my 6 year old would not eat it. This is where the cool epiphany part comes in so please keep reading….
I was so excited that 3 out of the 4 ate a “real” dinner, with rice and everything, that I pushed myself to rewrite the rules of my dinner menu for my kids that required that everyone eat the same thing. I decided that if my six year old ate hard boiled eggs, it was close enough since eggs come from chickens.
My concern about making special dinners for everyone has always been that 1) I don’t want to be a short order cook and 2) I want my kids to eat “real” food and not kid foods which are typically not as healthy. This is the epiphany part: I remembered my brother Andrew. Remember that I grew up in a house with 7 kids. We ate what we were served…. except for Andrew.
I have vivid memories of my mother making special meals of hamburgers cooked in butter for Andrew when he was little. The beautiful thing I realized is that Andrew, as an adult, is a world traveler and the most adventurous and healthy eater that I know (besides that guy on the food network who eats live animals and bugs).
Maybe the buttery hamburger phase was just that-a phase, and kids eventually expand their palates because of their own life experiences and exposure to peer groups, travel, etc. The pressure has been lifted! Maybe, just maybe, I can ease up a bit and if it is not too much trouble for me, cook with the greater good in mind of cooking something healthier that the majority likes to eat. The six year old will eventually come around but why do we all need to wait for him? We won’t! It’s his loss because my terriyaki chicken is dang good.
Because I already blogged about this Terriyaki chicken, here is a recipe for dip I made and ate while they ate this tasty chicken. I hope you like it!
Truffled Bean Dip:
1 TBS plus one tsp truffle oil (Can buy at Trader Joe’s or Whole foods)
1/4 cup olive oil
1 14 oz. can cannelini beans
1/8 tsp salt
Puree until very smooth in a food processor and enjoy with pita chips, carrots, or any other vehicle!
3 Responses
Bingo! I was THE pickiest eater as a kid. My mom always made separate meals. I was a total pain in the you know what. Foods were too squeaky or stinky or had dots in them. Guess what? I eat everything now. Love veggies. (except beets – still hate ’em.) Love all cuisines. Love cooking and trying new foods. Somehow, kids grow up and it’s not worth it making ourselves crazy waiting for that day.
You have to do Dayna Bandman’s picky eater seminar! It puts an end to the picky eater anxiety and extra work. It has changed our lives. Now I just cook what I like with several dishes, serve from serving dishes instead of fixing their plates ahead, eat a family dinner and LET IT GO. Now I focus that energy on worrying about other stuff. 🙂
Yes, never give up hope on your picky eater. For years the only soup we ate in my family of origin was Campbell’s tomato soup because it was the only kind of soup my brother would eat. My sister and I were pretty flexible so he was lowest common denominator (sort of). Anyway, my brother is now an incredible gourmet who especially likes funky foreign dishes involving snails, jellyfish and other invertebrates.